Rocky Mountain Power solicits ‘Green Projects’
Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky program seeks applicants for community-based renewable energy project funding
by Rocky Mountain Power
March 22, 2012
Got a bright idea for making Utah, Wyoming or Idaho greener? Could you use a little green to help make your renewable energy project a reality? Rocky Mountain Power is now accepting applications to receive funding for community-based renewable energy projects through its Blue Sky renewable energy program (http://www.rockymountainpower.net/bluesky).
To be considered in this competitive application process, interested parties must complete and submit an application form along with supporting materials by 5 p.m. on June 15, 2012.
The amount available for funding awards is limited and varies year to year. In 2011, Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program committed a total of more than $1 million for 13 renewable energy projects in its service area. This funding is made possible thanks to participating Blue Sky customers.
For the past 12 years, Rocky Mountain Power’s voluntary Blue Sky program has provided an easy and convenient way for customers to support renewable energy development in the western region, separate from the utility’s diverse mix of energy resources that serve all customers. Since 2006, participating Blue Sky customers also have helped fund more than 75 new community-based renewable energy projects (http://www.rockymountainpower.net/env/bsre/bscpf/cfr.html) in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.
Renewable energy projects eligible for Blue Sky funding awards may include those that support new electricity development and generation through wind, solar photovoltaic, biomass, wave, landfill gas, certified low-impact hydro, pipeline or irrigation canal hydropower and geothermal.
Blue Sky funding is available for projects in Rocky Mountain Power’s service area that are locally owned and have a generating capacity of less than 10 megawatts of electricity. Projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2013. Preference is given to projects with a strong educational component and community benefits that bring a broader understanding of renewable energy development and generation, and/or further research and development of new renewable generation technologies.
Funding is not available for off-grid or residential projects, for passive or thermal solar energy projects, or for geothermal or biomass heat pump systems. Other restrictions also apply. For detailed criteria on project qualifications and application forms, please go to www.rockymountainpower.net/blueskyfunds.
Entries should be thorough, and should be submitted with supporting materials such as photographs, schematics, drawings, cut sheets, narratives, construction bids and financial information; or anything else the applicant considers useful in the project evaluation.
Materials may be submitted by mail, fax or e-mail to:
Rocky Mountain Power
Attn: Blue Sky Fund Award
One Utah Center – 24th Floor
201 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Fax: 1-800-754-3114
E-mail: blueskyprojects@rockymountainpower.net
More than 37,600 Rocky Mountain Power customers are currently enrolled in Blue Sky. All Blue Sky dollars are used within the scope of the program and the company does not profit by offering Blue Sky to customers. Separate from Blue Sky, Rocky Mountain Power is the second largest regulated utility-owner of wind-powered generation in the nation.
How Blue Sky Works
When a customer enrolls in Blue Sky, Rocky Mountain Power purchases renewable energy certificates on their behalf from wind energy facilities in the western United States. The program is Green-e Energy certified by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions, verifying that customers are supporting new renewable resources in compliance with environmental and consumer protection standards. Blue Sky funds also help support the development of smaller-scale renewable energy projects in local communities. For more information, or to sign up for Blue Sky, visit www.rockymountainpower.net/bluesky or call anytime, toll free at 1-800-769-3717.
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